Akron, Ohio ? Citing lingering back pain on the practice range, Jack Nicklaus withdrew before Saturday’s third round of the Senior PGA Championship at Firestone Country Club.

“I was hitting balls and couldn’t get past the wedge,” Nicklaus said.

“Actually, I feel pretty good. I’m just so darn sore that I can’t make a go.”

Nicklaus barely made the cut while fighting back and hip pain, shooting rounds of 71 and 78 to finish 36 holes at 9-over-par 149.

“I was hoping that I could make it but I couldn’t even sit down this morning,” Nicklaus said.

“I thought, well, give it a try. Sometimes when I’m on my feet I’m better. So I went ahead and tried and it didn’t work.”

He said the pain was in his lower back, the same place as it has been for the past 15 months. He had received therapy in the workout trailer before and after each round this week.

After the second round, he said, “I won’t play much like this. You won’t see me around if I’m playing this way, if I feel this way.

“I enjoy playing golf. I love to play golf. But there’s no fun if you can’t play and I obviously couldn’t play today.”

Nicklaus had planned to play in the U.S. Senior Open at Caves Valley in Baltimore in three weeks and the Senior Players Championship at the TPC of Michigan two weeks after that.

It wasn’t the first time that he was forced to withdraw from a tournament at Firestone, where he has won seven events including the 1975 PGA Championship. He withdrew after three rounds of the 1980 World Series of Golf because of back pain.